Change of Appearance
by Star Otaku
Summary: This was inspired by Dendeshe's Change of Heart. In this version, ChiChi learns to accept Piccolo the hard way.


Disclaimer: I don't Dragon Ball Z or its characters, they respectfully belong to Akira Toriyama.

Author's Notes: Hey, after reading Dendeshe's "Change of Heart", I thought, why not let Chi-Chi change her mind about the Namek, the hard way. I also got the idea from a picture from [Chi-Chi's Cell][1] (a web-site). Supposed to (or at least try to) be humourous, so read and enjoy!

**Change of Appearance**

"Hey mom! I'm home!" Gohan called out to his mother. He looked around the kitchen to see his mom just setting down the dishes.

"Gohan, you're home!" Chi-Chi happily greeted her son. "As soon as your done eating, I want you to get back to your studies, alright?"

"Oh, mom. Please, can't I just train with Mr. Piccolo for a little longer? Please?" Gohan pleaded with his mother.

Chi-Chi's face narrowed in anger. "I don't think that you should be be around that monster. I mean, he's distracting you from your studies, teaching you all that horrid fighting..." she paused to sigh, "But, go ahead, see if it breaks my heart."

Gohan looked down guiltily. He didn't want his mom to be angry at Mr. Piccolo. He wasn't that bad. If only she knew. Then an idea struck him...

"Mom, please? Mr. Piccolo isn't that bad, and don't worry, dad will be there," Gohan assured his mother.

Chi-Chi let out a heavy sigh. "Alright. You can go."

* * *

The maelstrom had just ended, and the dragon balls had just scattered to the four winds.

Gohan flew away from the scene. He needed to stay away from home for a day, or two.

"Hey! Mr. Piccolo!" called Gohan as he flew towards his mentor.

Piccolo opened one eye warily to see the little warrior floating in front of him. "Why did you interrupt my meditating?"

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to ask you if I could stay out here, in the wilderness, with you, for a little while."

"Why?"

"How far are we from my house?"

"We're on the outskirts of the forest that surrounds your house. Now will you tell me why?"

A loud, piercing, shriek echoed throughout the forest, and probably even through the nearest galaxy. 

"That's why."

"What did you do? Let me guess, it has something to do with the dragon balls, right?"

"I kinda made a wish that-"

"AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!" Goku screamed as he flew toward the two.

"What's wrong dad?" asked Gohan.

Goku panted and caught his breath. "Chi-Chi *gasp* looks like Piccolo!"

"WHAT?!" Piccolo roared. "Gohan!"

"I was going to tell you, until dad interrupted, that I wished that mom was a Namek until she changed her mind about you. I did it so that she wouldn't be so mean to you."

Goku couldn't hold in his laughter. He burst out right then and there.

"It's not that funny, Goku," growled Piccolo. "You have to live with her for who knows how long. It might even be forever."

Goku was immediately silenced.

"Since mom will be pretty upset about this, I thought it would be nice if we were out of her way, for at least a day."

"I'll make the campfire," said Goku.

* * *

The three fighters awoke up to the rising sun.

Goku rubbed his eye. "Can we go home now? I want some breakfast."

Gohan yawned. "Sure thing, dad. Let's try to not wake up mom, she might still be a little... you know."

Piccolo smirked. "I'd like to see this."

With that, they flew off to the little house.

To their surprise, they could smell a hefty break-"feast" being cooked.

"By the smell of things, you're mother is in a good mood," said Goku.

"Let's hope that she is," replied Gohan.

They pushed open the door, which was unlocked. Warily, they entered. They tip-toed into the kitchen, and saw a figure with its back to them.

It had Chi-Chi's clothes and hair style, but it had purple hair, and of course, green skin with pink patches. It turned around, blinked at them with its blue eyes and let out a fanged smile.

"Hello boys! Would you like some breakfast?" It sounded like Chi-Chi.

The three fighters stared in disbelief, and were silently praying that she didn't go over the edge.

"Why are you boys staring at me?" asked Chi-Chi. "Oh, yes, my new look." She let out a laugh.

Goku snapped out of it first. "I'm glad that you're not mad, Chi-Chi."

"Yeah mom, especially at me. I'm happy to see that you're taking this well, since I kinda wished for this," said Gohan.

Piccolo was still staring at the Namek Chi-Chi. "Uhhhh..." He didn't even notice Gohan and Goku had begun poking at him to get his attention.

"Now, I made some food for you boys, so, eat up! And Piccolo, there's a glass of water, just for you." Namek Chi-Chi let out another fanged smile.

_Please don't let it be poisoned!_ all three of them prayed. They tentatively took a bite/sip, and couldn't detect anything. So they went on eating/drinking.

"Gohan, honey," said Chi-Chi as she leaned over her son, "how long will this wear off?"

Everyone stopped eating and braced themselves for the answer and her reaction to the news.

"Gee, mom... Heh heh, it wears off once you learn to get along with Mr. Piccolo."

Chi-Chi's green skin began to turn a deep purple colour and a scowl was forming on her face. They all grabbed their plates and glasses as they ran out the door.

"I HAVE TO GET ALONG WITH THAT MONSTER?! THE ONE WHO TRIED TO KILL MY GOKU?! AND WHO KIDNAPPED MY SON AND DEFILED HIS LITTLE MIND?! I'M GOING TO BE LIKE THIS FOREVER!!!" The sound of this echoed throughout the forest.

* * *

Another day had passed, and Goku, Gohan, and Piccolo were still keeping a 10-mile radius away from the house.

"I say that today, we try again," suggested Goku.

"I don't think so dad," started Gohan.

"What he's trying to say is that you'll slip up," Piccolo concluded.

"Mr. Piccolo, why don't you go?"

"Me?! Alone?! There's no telling what she might do to me!"

Gohan tried to reason with his mentor. "But the more you hang around with mom, the more she'll understand you, and the sooner this thing will be over!"

Piccolo let out a low growl. "The things I do for you, kid."

* * *

Chi-Chi perked up as she thought that she heard someone come inside. _I sure appreciate this sensitive hearing,_ Chi-Chi thought to herself.

Distracted from chopping vegetables, the knife slipped, and managed to sever a finger. She let out a yelp. "I wonder if this will affect me once this all over with," she muttered. "Why does this stuff always happen to me?!"

"Quit your whining," said a gruff voice.

Chi-Chi whipped around to face Piccolo. "What do you want?"

"Look, I want this to be done with just as much as you do. I was going to help you."

"You're going to put me out of my misery? No thanks."

"No, I wanted to let you know that you can regenerate another finger. Just concentrate on your cells rebuilding it."

Chi-Chi looked at him suspiciously, but shrugged as she tried it. Her face bunched up in concentration. A few moments later, a new finger gushed out of the severed stump. "Is it always that messy?"

"You'll get used to it." He glanced again at her. _I have to admit, she was quite attractive, in this form. GAH! What am I saying! She *must* have put something in my water!_

"Quit staring at me like that!" Chi-Chi's voice finally snapped him out of his thoughts. "Well, you helped me, and I am kinda thankful, have I changed back to normal yet?"

"Nope. Still the same. But I don't think that there's anything wrong with it." Piccolo realized what he had just said, and quickly covered his mouth with both hands.

Both of them stood in an awkward silence. Then Chi-Chi started to usher him towards the door. 

"Thanks for trying to make my day. Why don't you go back to Gohan and Goku and let them know that they should stay away for another few days. Bye-bye!"

* * *

"Gee, Mr. Piccolo, how did things go with my mom?" Gohan asked eagerly.

"Things went pretty well, at least she didn't try to kill me," replied Piccolo.

"That's a good sign!" piped up Goku. Then he thought for a moment. "Usually it's a good sign that she's calmed down, or she's snapped."

"That sure helps a lot," Piccolo said sarcastically.

"Don't worry, you can try again tomorrow!" Gohan said with a smile. All Piccolo could do was groan.

* * *

It had been less than a week, and both tried to make the best of the situation, trying to at least have a conversation with each other. Piccolo soon looked forward to his daily visit to the Son house.

"This technique is quite a useful trick to have around, " commented Chi-Chi as she extended her arm to dust away a cobweb from the ceiling. She then shot a small ki blast to boil some water. "I hope you can share some tea with me."

"I drink only water," Piccolo gruffly replied.

"Not only water, pretty much any kind of beverage that is mostly water, just like tea. What do you say, hmm?" Chi-Chi poured the water out of the kettle and dipped the tea bags into two mugs. "Trust me, I tried it myself." To prove it, she took a sip of the tea herself.

He grudgingly took the other mug and sat down in one of the kitchen chairs.

"So Gohan tells me that you've saved his life many times," commented Chi-Chi. "Is it true?"

"Yes, it's true. And it's not that big a deal."

"It is to me. I'm his mother. I always thought that you were going to kill both my boys, somewhere along the way. But knowing that you care for my son, it at least gives me some comfort."

"Aren't you a bit disturbed that I still want to kill your husband?" To punctuate it, he gave her a fanged smile.

"You wouldn't want to take away another person that Gohan cares about. You wouldn't want to hurt him like that. And you've fought alongside my husband. You've seen his power, you wouldn't have a chance to kill him."

Piccolo let out a scowl. "You know you're right. On both counts. Just don't tell anyone I've gone soft."

"Of course, your secret is safe with me." Chi-Chi leaned forward and pecked a kiss on the Namek warrior's cheek.

Piccolo flushed purple, and turned around to scowl back at her, but was surprised to find that the housewife was back to being a human. He let out a smile.

"Don't think that I'm going to go any farther than that just because we're of the same species!" cried Chi-Chi as she held up her frying pan.

"I think you better rephrase that sentence," said Piccolo. He grabbed the pan and turned it around so that her reflection would be seen.

Chi-Chi dropped the pan in surprise. "I-I-I'm human again! Not that being a Namek was a bad thing, so no offense to you."

"None taken. I think I better go and tell Goku and Gohan that they can come home now." He got up and made his way to the door.

Chi-Chi stopped him before he could leave. "You know, you're welcome to come over to our house anytime. But just as long as Gohan is done with his studying. And I'll be sure to have a pitcher of water out for you." She then let him go, gaving him a nod of assurance.

Piccolo gave her another smile and flew off to retrieve her husband and son.

* * *

Gohan, Goku, and Chi-Chi (back in her normal human form) were seated at the table, ready to eat lunch.

"Mom, I'm glad that you finally changed your mind about Mr. Piccolo," said Gohan.

"I was hoping to invite over today, so that he could join us. I had some mineral water just for him," Chi-Chi replied.

Goku smiled and grabbed his utensils. "I'm just happy that this all over with. And that you're able to accept our friends. Now let's eat!"

Chi-Chi frowned. "I haven't accepted all of your friends. There's still one: Vegeta."

All activity stopped. Chi-Chi smiled, like when she was a Namekian, except much more menacing.

"Gohan, I hope one of you can make that wish again. But this time, you know which species I should be instead."

Gohan and Goku paled and lost their appetites at the thought of a Saiyan Chi-Chi.

The End

Additional Author's Notes: There it is. My attempt at humour. I thought that I'd throw in a bit of Piccolo having some kind of attraction for Chi-Chi as some kind of gag, and because someone thought that Chi-Chi would leave Goku for Piccolo in the original "Change of Heart". Send in your comments and criticism to me!

   [1]: http://www.dbzangels.com/ChiPiccolo.jpg



End file.
